Captain Allan took us out yesterday.  Two of us are very knowledgeable and have fished the area many, many times.  One of us used to live in the area and Captain Allan still managed to teach us all a thing or two.  We have hired multiple charters in the past and had fun but, this was different.  We still had fun but, Captain Allan went above and beyond to accommodate some of our mobility issues and let us fish ourselves.  It was a great experience with great weather.  We limited out on Chinooks all had a blast.  Unfortunately we are unable to load pictures.  A perfect fishing day!

If you’re looking for the real deal in salmon fishing, look no further than Captain Al.
From the moment we stepped aboard his classic old-school fishing boat, we knew we were in for a great day on the water. Stepping onto The Raven is stepping onto a boat with a story in every scratch on the rail and a captain who’s spent a lifetime reading the water.
Captain Al’s know-how is unreal. He’s knowledgeable about the ecosystem, the area,  and the minds of the fish; he’s got years of experience and passion to back it. Because of his expertise, we were catching more salmon than anyone else on the water. As soon as we cast our first line, it was nonstop action all day. It’s a hands-on experience on this boat, a ‘working boat,’ he calls it. Al gives you an overview of the equipment and then it’s up to your crew to set up, reel, and catch. Thankfully, Captain Al guts the fish for you.
The boat had such a comfortable setup with a well to sit in and reel from; the weighted stabilizers were a game-changer—it felt like we were on a dock with hardly any rocking.
The view is unbeatable, just glorious. Mountains, rugged coastline, gulls, and open ocean provided the backdrop for our trip, like being part of a watercolour painting. We were lucky enough to have a flat calm day for looking out over the Juan de Fuca Strait and Secretary Island on such a storied fishing vessel. Al got us out at the peak time for fish—midafternoon, after everyone who’d come for the cold early morning left empty-handed.
We were also fortunate enough to max out our catch for our group, netting pinks, chinook, and coho, all due to Al’s savvy positioning of the boat.
By the time we headed back to the dock, the cooler was full, our arms were sore, and we had memories worth far, far more than the trip’s price tag.
If you want a no-nonsense, high-action, soul-satisfying day of salmon fishing with a captain who’s the real thing, book a trip with Captain Al. This is the kind of fishing experience that sticks with you forever.

If I could give Al more stars I would. I chose this charter because I found the retired commercial vessel interesting and wanted to fish on a larger boat. After hearing from other anglers how seasick they got from smaller vessels, I was glad I made the choice I did.

Al gave an incredible history of the local fisheries as well as providing impressive knowledge of the aquatic ecosystem.

His past as a commercial fisherman, diver and guide was invaluable in landing the 4 species we targeted today. Within 10 minutes I caught a 16lb chinook and later that day we had success with pink salmon and copper rockfish. The dungeness crab we brought up from the traps on the way back to the dock was an added bonus. Al’s the type of guy you could easily hang out with all day because while he has a laid back nature, he’s extremely confident in his vocation. He’s just cool.

Al was incredibly accommodating and respectful of my timeline and had me back to the dock on time.

I will 100% convince my girlfriends to join me next time with Al. His charter is the kind you want to give a 5 star review because you were so impressed but also you don’t want the word to get out so much because you know he’s going to book up fast when people experience his charter.

Come on the rising wind
We’re going up around the bend.

Thanks Al! You’re awesome!

First, Captain Allan is such a honest, “true” professional. Before running a fishing charter, he was a commercial fisherman for 30+ years. He can really read the weather and current. Having been a diver by occupation, he knows the Sooke waters and geography also from below. He told me ahead the big fishing action will not happen until 10am that day. He was right on the nail ! Unlike many fishing charter captains who don’t want you to touch their equipment or would simply fish for you until the fishes got hooked, Allan goes an extra mile to teach you in a patient and systemic way how to fish and successfully catch fishes yourself.

Second, his boat Raven is a spacious vintage boat full of character. It is also equipped with stabilizer so that it is very stable and calm. For those who wants to fish very comfortably and those who are afraid of getting sea-sick, this is the prime choice. Also, great choice for families and bigger parties.

Third, Captain Allan knows better where the Dungeness crabs are ! His crab traps are full of exciting surprises, far more productive than those of the other charters.

We fished 3 days in a row in Sooke with 3 different fishing charters of different boat configurations. My group unanimously voted Raven to be the best charter. We caught many chinooks and pinks. More importantly, we had a great time onboard the Raven filled with great chats with Allan. Even during the many days after the charter, our group still talks so much about our fishing experience with Captain Allan. Any time we are back to Sooke, booking the Raven will be out of question.

Captain Allan was the man!! We had an epic day on fishing on the Raven, an incredible old commercial fishing boat turned charter. The Raven has space for a whole family including a cabin with a warm stove for those colder days. She is built to hand rough water and has great operational space for fishing! Captain Allen has been on the water for a long time and knows what he is doing! He is informative about the history and ecology of the local waters. We caught 8 king Salmon including one over 15 lbs. We had our limit of crab by the end of the day and memories we won’t forget! If you are looking for a genuinely authentic fishing experience in Sooke Captain Allan and the Raven are the best option!! Can’t recommend enough!